


Faded Touches

by RogueWolf



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angry Sex, Biting, Feels, Grief/Mourning, Hand Jobs, M/M, Porn with Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-24
Updated: 2016-04-24
Packaged: 2018-06-04 08:00:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6649123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueWolf/pseuds/RogueWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had been almost a year since Summer’s death, and Qrow hadn’t heard a single thing from Taiyang. By the time Qrow was able to make it back to Patch, he didn't know what to expect. All he knew was that if Tai wasn't going to kick himself out of it, he'd do it for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Faded Touches

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little something I've been thinking about for awhile, and today it just clicked in my head and bam! I got it all out in one sitting. Between this and Under the Streetlight, this is the most I've written in two days and I'm really proud about that. This is also the first TaiQrow fic I've written so woo! Yay for trying new things.

It had been almost a year since Summer’s death, and Qrow hadn’t heard a single thing from Taiyang. He had wanted to go and check up on him – Tai and the girls were his family too – but Oz had kept him busy, hunting down rumour after rumour and when Qrow wasn’t out in the middle of nowhere, he was planning his next mission with Oz and Glynda.

Ruby and Yang had sent him some updates, but they were both still grieving for Summer in their own ways; Yang had started fighting more – though as they were school sanctioned sparring matches, they were deemed “acceptable” – and Ruby had upgraded Crescent Rose more times than Qrow could count. Their family was still close, but Qrow could see the fractures forming, and he knew that if something didn’t change soon, it’d be too late to fix them.

It was late autumn when he finally got a chance to go back to Patch, and when he landed on the front porch of the house, he couldn’t help but stare. There were leaves everywhere, even on the window sills, and the lawn had been mowed unevenly so that parts of it were bushier and out of control. Qrow shook his head and turned to the door; the hinges squeaked as he opened it and his frown deepened. Tai had always taken such pride in how his house looked. This was not like him.

Of course, Qrow thought, most people didn’t lose two teammates and wives in less than a decade either.

The house was silent and Qrow could see the vases Summer used to fill with flowers from her gardens lined against the mantel piece, empty and dusty. As Qrow made his way through the house, he saw more evidence of neglect. The floors were swept but there was a fine layer of dust over the paintings and lamp shades. Many of the window curtains hadn’t been pulled back, and the pantry wasn’t stocked. They must have been eating out, Qrow mused. He didn’t bother to check the kitchen. If the rest of the house was in this much disarray, he didn’t want to see what Summer’s favourite room looked like.

He peeked into the girls’ open door and was relieved to see that it was the same as he remembered. Here, at least, there was life. He continued on to the master bedroom and paused when he heard a soft whimper; claws scratched against the floor and then Zwei peeked his head out of the doorway. He yipped when he saw Qrow and bounded over, his entire body wriggling with excitement.

“Hey, buddy,” Qrow said, and knelt to pet the dog. Zwei rolled over so Qrow could reach his belly, and Qrow ruffled his fur, noting that Zwei looked healthy and well-fed. That had to be good, right?

“Is Tai in there?” he asked Zwei, and Zwei barked once and rolled back over. He trotted into the room and then back out, looking at Qrow, and Qrow grinned and pushed himself to his feet. “Alright, I’m coming.” He pushed the door open all the way and stepped in, Zwei close at his side.

The room was covered in shadows; Tai hadn’t bothered to open the curtains and it made the room feel smaller. There were clothes strewn about everywhere and in the corner Tai was sitting in an armchair that Qrow remembered he had built for Raven when she was pregnant with Yang.

“Tai?” Qrow called. Tai didn’t answer and Qrow stepped closer, navigating his way across the sea of clothes and books. “Tai,” Qrow said again, and Tai turned his head slowly to look at him.

He had dark smudges under his eyes, as though he hadn’t been sleeping, and his hair was flat and dull. “Qrow,” he said slowly, and then frowned when Qrow stepped closer. “You’re here.”

“Yeah, I’m here,” Qrow said softly. He tugged over one of the upturned laundry baskets and sat on it. “I should have been here sooner; I’m sorry, Tai.”

Tai shook his head, his eyes closing as if it took too much effort to keep them open. “I’m used to it,” he said, and Qrow’s fists clenched against his knees.

“Used to what?” he asked.

“People leaving,” Tai said, and his voice was empty. “People not coming back.” He opened his eyes and looked at Qrow. “You’d think I wouldn't be so surprised anymore.”

“Don’t,” Qrow said, his voice low and hard. “Don’t start thinking this is all because of you.” He uncurled his fists and laid his fingers flat against his thighs.

“It is, though. Raven left right after Yang was born. Was having a daughter too much for her? Did she blame me for how happy I was to have a child?”

“Tai,” Qrow started, but Tai shook his head, his hair flying back and forth with the movement.

“Summer loved Ruby and Yang, she loved me.” Tai stared at his scuffed boots. “But she was always a huntress, before anything else. And it killed her.”

“Yeah?” Qrow snapped, “And what do you call this?” He flung an arm out and Tai flinched. “I wouldn’t call this living.”

“You don’t understand,” Tai said, “I’m just-”

“You’re just what? Letting your daughters try to pick up the pieces without you? They’re still children, Tai, they need you. And you’re just sitting here, moping.”

Tai narrowed his eyes. “Watch it, Qrow,” he said, “just because you’re my brother-in-law doesn’t mean I won’t kick you out of my house.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Qrow said. He laughed, but it wasn’t happy. “For fuck’s sake, Tai, do you honestly think you get the monopoly on bad shit happening to you?” He pushed himself off the basket and glared down at Tai. “Raven was my sister. She left me too. And Summer was my teammate, _my partner_ , did you forget that?”

“They were my wives,” Tai snapped back. He struggled out of the chair and faced Qrow, his hands clenched at his sides. “So back off, Qrow.”

“Make me,” Qrow said. “I don’t care if they were your wives or not. You’re not the only one who’s been hurt, but you _are_ the only one who’s been sitting in the dark crying like a child. Some great hunter you are; can’t even take care of his family, let alone himself.”

The punch took him by surprise, though he should have been expecting it. Qrow staggered to the side and wiped at his mouth; he could taste blood but he ignored it to focus on Tai. Tai was standing with his arm outstretched; his knuckles were scraped where he had caught them on Qrow’s teeth and he was breathing heavily.

“Done already?” Qrow taunted. “You used to hit harder than that. Did sitting in the dark make you forget how to fight?”

“Shut up!” Tai yelled, and swung his fist at Qrow. Qrow dodged easily and moved to the center of the room. Here he didn’t have to worry about being blocked in by walls, just tripping over the mess all over the floor.

“Ooh, looks like your aim got messed up too.” Qrow placed a hand on his hip. “Does someone need to go back to training school?” he asked, using the same voice he’d used on Ruby when he’d shown her how to count to ten on her toes.

Tai screamed, a great wordless cry of rage, and flung himself at Qrow. Qrow waited until he got close and then stepped aside, not even bothering to defend himself, and watched as Tai slid across the floor to slam into the wall.

“Remember how Summer used to tell us that emotions weren’t bad, except when we let them control us?” Qrow shook his head at Tai as he used the wall to push himself back. “Looks like you weren’t listening.”

“Shut up,” Tai whispered. He glared at Qrow and Qrow glared back, glad that Tai was finally showing something other than apathy. “You think you can just show up and tell me to get over it? You?” Tai stabbed a finger at Qrow. “Where were you, when Raven disappeared? Where were you when Summer decided to go off _on her own_?” His arm was shaking. “You don’t get to tell me anything, Qrow. Not when you don’t give a damn about this family.”

“I don’t give a damn? I’ve been out there trying to _protect_ my family. I’ve been doing whatever I can to get rid of one of the biggest threats out there so that Yang and Ruby will never have to face it. I’ve been doing my _job,_ Tai, which is a lot more than what you’ve been doing.”

Tai rushed him again and this time Qrow didn’t dodge. Tai’s fist hit Qrow’s shoulder and he stumbled back with a grunt. “Feels good, doesn’t it,” Qrow said. “Hitting something, it makes you feel alive.” He slid away from Tai’s next punch but didn’t see the second one until he was on his knees. “About time you remembered how to punch,” he said between gasps. Tai growled and drew back his arm for another punch and Qrow threw himself forward, sweeping his legs out and knocking Tai to the ground. He rolled away and bounced back to his feet. “You’re good, Tai, but you’re not going to beat me, not like this.”

“I said, shut up!” Tai shouted, and he thrust his feet at Qrow, catching him in the chest and sending him sprawling. Qrow winced and started to push himself back up when Tai landed on him, pinning him to the floor.

“You always act like you know everything,” Tai said bitterly. “You think that because you’ve seen stuff the rest of us haven’t that you’re above us.” His hands tightened around Qrow’s wrists. “You’re not. You’re just the same as me or anybody else.”

“Yeah?” Qrow asked. “Except that I’m adult enough to know that the dead aren’t ever coming back and that sitting around waiting to die doesn’t help anybody.”

“I thought I said to shut up,” Tai said, and leaned down to kiss Qrow.

There was nothing gentle about the way Tai kissed him. It wasn’t about love or comfort or even about proving Qrow wrong. Tai pressed his lips so hard against Qrow’s mouth that Qrow felt the cut at the edge of his mouth start bleeding again. He stubbornly refused to open his mouth; just because Tai wanted something didn’t mean Qrow was just going to give it to him, and Tai growled against his mouth and bit at his lower lip until a too sharp nip had Qrow gasping.

Tai thrust his tongue into Qrow’s mouth, feeling the edges of his teeth, the roof of his mouth, and Qrow curled his tongue around Tai’s. Tai jerked his head back and glared at Qrow. “No,” he said roughly, and Qrow laughed.

“You want to be in charge, then be in charge, Tai.” Qrow rolled his body, making Tai’s grip slide before he pinned Qrow back down again. “But don’t expect me to just lay here and be some obedient little fuck buddy.”

“You wouldn’t know how to be obedient if it bit you in the ass,” Tai muttered, and then he was kissing Qrow again. He brought his fingers up to trace Qrow’s lips before he was pushing them inside Qrow’s mouth, holding Qrow’s tongue down while he fucked his mouth as hard as he could with his own tongue, until Qrow was groaning beneath him. Tai let his fingers slide out of Qrow’s mouth, slick with spit, and reached down to tug at Qrow’s belt.

Qrow fumbled at the belt loop. Tai slapped his hands away and then the belt was gone and Tai was pulling the zipper down and reaching in to grasp Qrow roughly.

Qrow grunted and tugged at Tai’s shorts; without a belt it was easy to pull them down – Tai always did like to wear his pants a little too large. Tai hadn’t bothered to put on underwear and Qrow wrapped a hand around him, felt his warmth like a fire in his hand.

Tai hissed and tightened his hand around Qrow until Qrow arched under him. “What do you think you’re doing?” Tai asked and Qrow blinked up at him.

“Fair’s fair,” he said, and stroked his hand down Tai’s cock. It wasn’t as smooth as it would have been if he’d had lube, but Qrow wasn’t about to ask Tai for some. He wasn’t even certain Tai would have any worth using.

Tai’s breathing stuttered and then he was moving his own hand and it was almost painful. Qrow’s brow furrowed and Tai frowned; he pulled his hand off Qrow’ cock and held it up to his mouth, sliding his fingers into the warmth of Qrow’s mouth. Qrow sucked on them eagerly; it wouldn't help much, spit dried up too quickly to make much of a difference, but it was better than nothing.

He licked and sucked at Tai’s fingers, licked at Tai’s palm when he moved his hand, and when Tai reached down to grip Qrow again there was enough wetness that Qrow shut his eyes and moaned.

“What about you?” he asked, and Tai laughed and bit at Qrow’s neck.

“I’ll be fine.” He started stroking Qrow, quick strokes that had the palm of his hand sliding over the top of Qrow’s cock while his other hand slid into Qrow’s mouth, pressing his mouth open while Tai kissed him. He thrust his tongue in and out of Qrow’s mouth lazily, a counterpoint to the hand moving faster and faster on Qrow’s cock.

Qrow bucked against him, his own hand falling off away from Tai’s cock to tangle in Tai’s hair, pulling him closer. Tai bit at Qrow’s lip, ran his hand up Qrow’s cock, nails scratching, and Qrow came with a silent scream, his hips jerking against Tai and his feet digging into the floor.

When Qrow sagged against the floor, gasping for breath, Tai laced their fingers together and dragged it through the mess of come on Qrow’s stomach and chest. Qrow moaned and Tai smirked. “Thought you’d last longer than that,” he said, and then he wrapped their fingers around his own cock, running them up and down in quick, easy movements that had him bending over Qrow, eyes sliding shut as he sucked in short gasps of air.  

It wasn’t long until Tai was crying out, his fingers tightening around Qrow’s;  he bit down into Qrow’s shoulder, his whole body shaking as he came against Qrow’s stomach.

He pushed himself off Qrow when he was finished and slumped on the ground, a half-open book under his cheek. Tai ran his fingers down the sleeve of Qrow’s shirt, wiping his hand clean, and Qrow wrinkled his nose at him.

“Really?” He looked down at the smear of come staining the pale grey of his shirt.

“Stop whining,” Tai said, “your shirt was already ruined.”

 “That’s not the point,” Qrow grumbled, but he let it go. Tai rolled his eyes and kept his hand against Qrow’s arm.

Qrow hesitated and then he reached up and wrapped their fingers together, rolling over just enough that he could see Tai without straining his neck.

“Are you going to be ok?” he asked softly, and Tai took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

“I don’t know,” he finally said. Qrow squeezed his fingers but didn’t say anything. “You just don’t get it,” Tai said softly. “Team STRQ was my family, my _only_ family for so long and now?” He leaned in and pressed his forehead against Qrow’s shoulder. “My family is gone and I don’t know how to get it back.”

Qrow rolled all the way on to his side and curled his body around Tai, bringing up his other hand to cup the back of Tai’s head and tugging him close. “You didn’t lose us,” Qrow told him. He ran his fingers through Tai’s hair and Tai burrowed his face against Qrow’s neck. “We were lucky that we were together as long as we were, you know that. Most teams split up after graduating. We were together for years, and you shouldn’t forget that.”

Tai shivered and Qrow pulled him closer. “I know it’s hard, but you have Ruby and Yang, and you have me. Raven and Summer aren’t really gone, not as long as we still remember them.” Qrow pressed his fingers against Tai’s scalp; he let his nails scape over the skin. “It’s easier to just hide, to pretend that none of this ever happened. Trust me, Tai, _I know_. But they wouldn’t have wanted that, you know that. And sometimes life isn’t about what _we_ want, it’s about what we _need_ to do.”

“I know,” Tai whispered. “It’s just,” he clung to Qrow and Qrow hummed softly. “I don’t want to lose everybody again.”

Qrow sighed softly and rubbed a hand down Tai’s back. “I’m not going to say it’s never going to happen,” he told Tai. “We’re hunters, your daughters are training to be huntresses; it’s a risk we all take. But Tai,” he tugged gently at Tai’s hair until Tai leaned his head back enough that Qrow could see his face. “Nobody is ever safe. It’s just an illusion. What matters is what you do until your time comes.”

“I don’t think I’m strong enough for that,” Tai whispered, “not anymore.”

Qrow tucked Tai’s head against his shoulder and pressed his chin to the top of his head. “You are, Tai, trust me.” He wrapped himself around Tai and felt Tai curl his knees up. “You just need to remember how.”

They were silent for a long time, long enough for Qrow’s shirt to go cold and clammy against his skin. The room was darker than before; what little sun had made its way under the curtains was gone as night set in, when Tai shifted and pulled away.

“I don’t know where to start,” he said, and Qrow laced their fingers together and smiled when Tai looked at him.

“Let’s start with cleaning up.”

Tai glanced down, saw the mess spread across them both, and smiled hesitantly back at Qrow. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” He stood and helped Qrow to his feet.

Qrow dusted off his pants and then squeaked when Tai wrapped his arms around him, hugging him tightly enough that Qrow felt his ribs creak. “Thanks,” Tai said softly. He let Qrow go and took a step back. “For everything.”

Qrow reached out and ruffled Tai’s hair, grinning as Tai ducked away, glaring in mock displeasure. “Anytime,” he said. He slung an arm around Tai’s shoulders and tugged him close. “I’m always happy to knock some sense into you.”

Tai shoved him. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t let it go to your head.” He started walking to the bathroom. “Grab some towels from the closet, would you?”

Qrow nodded; as Tai disappeared behind the bathroom door, he let out a slow breath. It was only a start, and a rough one at that, but maybe it wasn’t too late to fix his family after all.

**Author's Note:**

> [You can find me on tumblr here](http://roguewolfprints.tumblr.com)
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> Comments are love!


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